Academic Underachievement and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The Negative Impact of Symptom Severity on School Performance

Many children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) achieve academically at a lower level than would be predicted given their intellectual abilities. However, the extent to which this is due to behavioral problems versus cognitive deficits associated with the disorder is unclear. In the present study, a group of children with ADHD (with average intellectual abilities) performed significantly below prediction in reading, writing, and mathematics skills and demonstrated a greater discrepancy between actual and predicted achievement than did a group of non-ADHD children. Even when controlling for performance on a measure of executive functioning, severity of ADHD symptoms, based on parent report, significantly predicted academic underachievement in reading, writing, and mathematics. These results indicate that the more severe the behavioral symptomatology of children with ADHD is, the more negatively impacted their school performance may be. Results are discussed in terms of diagnostic and intervention implications.     

A second generation nonlinear factor analysis

Nonlinear common factor models with polynomial regression functions, including interaction terms, are fitted by simultaneously estimating the factor loadings and common factor scores, using maximum-likelihood-ratio and ordinary-least-squares methods. A Monte Carlo study gives support to a conjecture about the form of the distribution of the likelihood-ratio criterion.The research reported in this paper was partly supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Grant No. A6346.     

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Brief Symptom Inventory

A cross-cultural study of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) was conducted with a sample of university students from India and Canada. The results indicated much higher rates of symptom reporting in the Indian sample. Canadian students also had higher reported symptom scales when compared to a similar size USA sample. A small sample of older respondents was also compared with a British sample. Examination of the structure of the BSI scale was investigated using a multidimensional scaling analysis. The Indian data had a somatization—paranoid ideation dimension and a psychoticism—interpersonal sensitivity dimension. With the Canadian sample, there was a hostility—phobic anxiety dimension along with a somatization—paranoid ideation dimension.     

Some promising dimensions for behavioral community technology

In recent years, the search for effective and replicable approaches to planned change in communities has escalated. Applied behavior analysts have participated in these efforts to remedy existing community problems and to increase the capacities of community residents to meet their goals. Examples of behavioral technologies for community settings are described and their advantages are noted. Criteria for more contextually appropriate community technologies are suggested and strategies for developing behavioral methods according to these criteria are described. This paper outlines some promising dimensions for behavioral community technology and discusses several possible limitations to a behavioral approach to addressing societal problems.     

Commentary: What is the Meaning and Utility of the Psychopathy Concept?

The concept and measurement of psychopathy in young people is discussed with respect to five key issues: (1) the respective merits of self-reports and ratings by others; (2) whether callous/unemotional (CU) features may be more appropriately tapped by physiological measures; (3) the possible utility of genetic studies; (4) the distinctiveness of CU from other risk factors for antisocial behavior; and (5) the homogeneity of CU as a construct.     

责任、情感及帮助行为的归因结构模型

责任归因研究将归因理论应用于对他人行为的责任分析之中,为行为责任的推断提供了一个崭新的视角。该研究通过一个真实具有较大社会反响的案例探讨责任归因与帮助行为之间的内在联系。238名管理者和被管理者参与了此项研究,并通过EQS建立了有关归因的控制性、情感反应、期望改变、责任推断以及帮助行为之间关系的结构方程模型。结果提示：责任推断与情感反应具有双向关系,符合心理学中“知”和“情”相互作用的观点;员工与管理者相比更倾向于认为行为者失败的原因是外在的、不可控的并且应承担较低的责任     

人际责任推断与行为应对策略的归因分析

探讨人际责任归因与行为应对策略之间的内在联系。376名被试参与了此项研究。结果表明：(1)内在的可控的失败原因引起最高责任推断、最高程度的责备和最低程度的安慰;相反,内在的不可控的稳定的原因与最低责任、最低责备以及最高程度的安慰相联系。(2)责任归因与责备和安慰之间的数量化关系通过结构方程模型得以确定。(3)女大学生更倾向于对失败行为作可以控制的归因;在行为反应上,教师或管理者更倾向于使用安慰策略     

类别成员跨维度特征关系对类别学习的影响

探讨类别成员具有多维度相同特征与多维度匹配特征条件下对人们类别学习的影响。被试来自华南师范大学一年级本科生,要求他们学习不同特征结构的类别材料,然后进行测试,以学习阶段的单元数与错误率、测试阶段的反应时与错误率为指标。共包括3个实验,实验1探讨了类别成员具有双维度相同特征、双维度匹配特征与非匹配特征条件下进行类别学习的成绩。实验2探讨类别成员在空间位置分离的两个维度上具有相同特征对类别学习的影响。实验3进一步探讨类别间成员具有双维度相同特征对类别学习的影响。结果表明：（1）类别成员具有双维度相同特征时,人们在归类学习中会将这两个维度看成是一个维度,从而促进类别学习;（2）类别成员具有双维度匹配特征,或者在两个不相邻维度具有相同特征时,对于类别学习没有起到这种特定的促进作用;（3）如果类别间成员具有双维度相同特征,则对类别学习产生消极影响。研究结果表明,在类别学习过程中,特征相似性状况对维度的确立也会产生影响。     

Differential Associations Between Psychopathy Dimensions,Types of Aggression,and Response Inhibition

Findings on executive functioning in psychopathy are inconsistent. Different associations between psychopathy dimensions and executive functioning might explain contradicting findings. This study examined the role of psychopathy dimensions and types of aggression in response inhibition among 117 male adolescents (53 antisocial delinquents and 64 controls). Participants completed a self‐report measure of aggression and a GoNoGo task. Psychopathy dimensions were assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version. Although high scores on the antisocial dimension and reactive aggression were associated with poor response inhibition, the affective–interpersonal dimension, proactive aggression, and verbal intelligence (IQ) were related to better response inhibition (two‐factor model). Associations with the affective–interpersonal dimensions did not reach significance. Exploratory analyses showed that affective and antisocial facets accounted for the obtained opposing associations of the affective–interpersonal and antisocial psychopathy dimensions with response inhibition. The interpersonal and lifestyle facets (four‐facet model) were unrelated to response inhibition. Results could not be explained by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Findings suggest differential associations between the psychopathy dimensions, types of aggression, and response inhibition. Therefore, a dimensional approach to psychopathy and related concepts, such as aggression, might strongly improve diagnostic procedures. Global scores could mask important differential associations. Aggr. Behav. 38:77‐88, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

De la prédiction à la compréhension : recension des dimensions psychologiques de la Statique-99

Although widely used in North America, actuarial risk assessment tools have been criticized for their inability to capture the causal dynamics leading to criminal recidivism. In this article, we present a conceptual framework for linking static, historical risk factors to the psychological vulnerabilities that are targeted in offender treatment. To illustrate this model, a literature review was conducted that identified the psychological dimensions that underlie the items of the Static-99, the most widely used actuarial scale for predicting sexual recidivism. Two key dimensions were identified: sexual criminality, indicative of sexual deviance and/or sexual preoccupation, and general criminality, indicative of antisocial traits and/or psychopathy.